A little help from some friends
by Leni-H50
Summary: An unexpected detour lands Catherine and her team on Oahu. Things don't go as planned and some help from Five-0 may be needed. This case is personal for Catherine and may finally give Steve a better understanding of her past decisions. ** Takes place anytime after episode 6x17; however, episode 7x7 never happened.
1. Chapter 1

_**Early evening:**_

Steve entered the Five-0 headquarters feeling energized with a spring in his step. They had no cases pending affording him the time to relax and enjoy his day. He started with a brisk swim, worked on the Marquis and after having lunch with Nahele, had time for a workout at the gym. Overall a productive day. As he made his way into the suite of offices, he was surprised to see the team casually gathered in his office in the midst of what appeared to be a lively discussion.

The Five- 0 team members had made themselves comfortable. Danny reclined in Steve's chair with his legs crossed on the desk. Chin and Kono leaned forward in the guest chairs while engaging with Danny. Grover and Jerry lounged on opposite ends of the couch. Danny's hands were flailing as Chin attempted to reason with him. Grover and Kono nodded their heads in disbelief of what Danny was ranting about. Jerry observed in silence. Steve couldn't hear what they were saying, and really wasn't that interested. He was still riding the high of his vigorous workout.

Danny looked up and noticed Steve approaching. He stood from behind Steve's desk and darted towards him. Steve retreated to avoid being tackled.

"Why are you all in my office?" He questioned with slight annoyance.

"Where the Hell have you been?" Danny avoided the question and shouted

Steve was puzzled "I was at the gym, why? What's the problem?" he crossed his arms

By now the rest of the team had gathered closer. "We have been calling you for over an hour. Don't you check your phone?" Danny was not pleased.

"My phone is dead and I forgot my charger. Did you guys miss me, because it's not like you are working or anything" Steve smirked at his own sarcastic remark

Grover stepped forward "We have a visitor"

Steve scanned the room with his eyes "There is no one else here" He stated as a fact

Just as Grover was about to respond, Danny nudged him to the side and stepped forward "There is a federal prisoner in our lockup"

Kono interjected "Their transport had a mechanical problem and they were forced to land at Hickam"

Chin continued "the agent in charge requested to use our facilities'

"They went over our heads and straight to the Governor for permission" Jerry concluded

Steve listened as each member spoke.

"That's not unusual. Our facility is one of the most secure on the island and if this is a high priority prisoner, I would completely understand why they chose our facility over HPDs. Do we know who the prisoner is?"

Danny placed both hands on his hips "Nope, We don't know, but maybe you.." He placed one hand on Steve's shoulder "… should go downstairs and find out"

Steve raised his eyebrows and gently pulled away from Danny's touch "Ok sure, no problem" he didn't see any issue with them helping another agency

Kono gave Danny a knowing look and whispered to him "you should tell him. This isn't funny"

Danny winked and whispered back, placing his finger over his lips "shh, it will be a surprise"

"Steve hates surprises" Kono reminded

"I know" smirked Danny

Steve made his way to the elevators and pressed the button marked with the downward facing arrow. He turned to look at his team all standing at the glass doors watching him. He knew something was going on; their suspicious actions gave them away. Swiping his ID badge, he pressed the button as the doors closed. Rocking impatiently he waited for the few seconds to pass before he had reached his destination. He carefully stepped into the hallway and proceeded towards the maximum security cell. What he saw before him stopped him in his tracks. His palms began to sweat as his breath hitched. He could feel the knots in his stomach twist as he hesitated. He felt as if the air was suddenly sucked out of the room. He squinted his eyes to get a clearer look at the sleeping figure sitting on the floor in front of the cell door. _"It can't be",_ he thought to himself. He took a few deep breaths and quietly approached in an attempt not to startle her.


	2. Chapter 2

She sat on the cold stone floor of the secured corridor. Her back rested against the metal door as her knees were drawn close to her. Her head rested on her knees in an attempt as a make shift pillow. She didn't intend to fall asleep but the endless hours undercover and a long flight had finally caught up to her. She was comfortable in her decision that this was the safest and most secure place to hold the prisoner until she could get him to his final destination at Guantanamo.

"Cath?" Steve spoke softly, barely above a whisper.

Her head darted up and her reflexes raised her gun towards the sound of his voice. "Shit, I almost shot you"

He raised his hands in surrender "Sorry, I tried not to startle you. What are you doing here Cath?" He asked as he took his position next to her.

She holstered her gun "didn't Danny fill you in?"

"He may have left out a few details" He smiled

"I'm sorry to show up like this, but this detour was unexpected and we decided this was the best place to wait things out" She explained

Steve looked around to see nothing but empty hallway "We? You're alone."

"My team went to eat and do some sightseeing. First time in Hawaii" she rolled her eyes hoping he would not notice "I think they were excited to be stranded here"

"You should have gone with them. Whoever is in there isn't getting out" His eyes scanned her small frame "When was the last time you ate?" She was always thin but never like this.

"Honestly, I don't remember, but I'm not leaving" she was adamant " I lost everything I care about for this guy and I'm not letting him get away when I'm this close to putting an end to it once and for all" she couldn't help but stare into his eyes.

He could see the hurt in her eyes, _those beautiful brown eyes_ , he thought. _Was she referring to us, to what we had?_ He cleared his throat. "I get it" was all he could reply. "I can sit here and guard him while you grab a bite and maybe take a nap in my office? That couch is pretty comfortable"

"I remember" she replied with a twinkle in her eye, "but I'm not leaving"

"Who is in there, Cath?" Steve could see how important this was to her and his curiosity had peaked

"Petroff Voknel" was all she needed to say. She knew Steve would know who he was.

"Seriously?" Steve exclaimed "That's huge Cath, HUGE. We've been after him for decades. Did he flip on Nietsikova?"

"No, not yet. We tried but he refuses to give him up. Now it's up to the boys at Gitmo" she was slightly disappointed

"I can give it a try if you want" he offered

With a raised voice she insisted "it's not your case, Steve".

"I just want to help you, Cath. That's all" he was sincere

"I know" she spoke barely above a whisper avoiding eye contact. "I'm sorry; it's just this is my case, my collar, my payout. I'm too close to let anything or anyone mess it up. To let anyone else take credit"

"I'm not trying to take the credit away from you. You know I would never do that. I'm just trying to help you." he turned his body to face her more directly.

"Of course I know that, I'm sorry, it's just this is very important to me and I need to handle it on my own, with MY team" she emphasized

"Why is this so personal? What did he do to you, Cath?" he reached his hand to touch her arm.

"It's not like that. He hasn't done anything to me directly." she wanted to tell him more, the whole truth but none of that really mattered. He probably wouldn't understand anyway "How much do you know about my..." she paused "…career choice? I know you saved my life recently, preventing my cover from being blown, but how much do you really know?" she looked up to face him.

"I only know you lied to me about joining the CIA" he realized how cruel that came out but it was said and it needed to be.

She could feel the tears that were building and in an effort to hold them back she nodded in agreement "It's not that simple. I never meant to hurt you, but it's complicated and it was something I had little choice in. You can believe me or not, it doesn't really matter now, does it?" she shrugged her shoulders

"I guess you are right, the past doesn't matter" his response was curt

She wasn't sure what he meant by that remark but she was exhausted and was in no mood for a serious discussion. She offered no response to his comment

There was a moment of awkward silence

He needed to get out of there and quickly. "I'm going to get us some dinner. Don't go anywhere. I will be back in a few" without waiting for a response he walked to the end of the hallway and turned the corner towards the elevator. Once inside and the doors closed, he leaned his head back against the elevator wall. He allowed himself to release the tears that were on the verge of escaping. He was angry with her but he understood her, he was realizing he still loved her. _"damn it"_ he scolded himself " _why do I let her get to me?"_


	3. Chapter 3

Almost two hours had passed and she wondered where he disappeared to and how long it was taking to bring her dinner. She was famished and had resigned herself to pace the hallways of the holding area. She had walked those hallways dozens of times in the past and had never realized how dark and dreary the cinderblock walls were. " _Maybe he changed his mind and decided to go home instead"_ she thought. _"He's angry and I have little doubt he hates me for what I've done"_ her mind wondered. She could not stop the thoughts from spinning in her head; the what if's and what not's of their relationship. They both had a great deal invested in each other and one decision changed the future for them both; a decision she made on her own. _"He had to hate me for that",_ she was sure she lost any trust he had in her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar aroma. She turned to see Steve standing with a bag of take-away boxes in one hand and a familiar pink box in the other. Tucked under his arm were two bottles of water.

"Leonard's! You went to Leonard's?" Her eyes opened wide and her smile lit up the room. As she reached for the box, he pulled it away just out of her reach.

"No, no, no… that's dessert, first dinner" he placed the food containers on the floor and carefully removed the Styrofoam boxes. This is yours. I hope I remembered what you like"

She stared in disbelief of what was before her. "Sasabune? You brought me Sasabune? I didn't know they did take-out" she could no longer contain her emotions. The tears flooded her face. A simple gesture had broken her. She turned her back so he could not see her crying.

He wasn't sure what he should do. He knew his next move was crucial. He took a breath and gave her a moment to herself. With hesitation, he moved closer to her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders; slowly pulling her closer to his chest. He whispered "I'm sorry"

Her body tightened at his touch, but her heart was melting and the tears flowed. "You have nothing to be sorry about. This is all on me". She turned into his grip to face him. "I'm sorry"

He stared into her eyes and leaned in to kiss her. He couldn't help it. He needed her. He wanted to comfort her.

She returned the kiss and the two stood in silence holding each other for several minutes. _This feels so right_ , they both thought to themselves

Steve wanted nothing but to hold and comfort her. He hated to see her hurt but a part of him was still angry with her for leaving him; for breaking his heart. He wanted to forgive her, he knew he loved her, but he knew deep down that she wasn't here to stay, she was passing through. He was afraid he may never get over her.

"You should eat" Steve broke the moment as he stepped back and began to prep the food. "You need to eat" he repeated.

"Yeah, ok" she replied as she sat on the floor and placed the box in her lap. She removed the chop sticks from the package and examined the contents deciding which to eat first. "You got all my favorites, thank you".

"I know how much you love it" he smiled as she took a bite. The euphoric expression on her face was worth the effort.

"I didn't realize how much I missed this" she commented as she popped a piece of sushi in her mouth

"I hope that's not the only thing you missed" he mumbled under his breath

She turned to look at him "huh? Did you say something?" she asked. She hated to admit she heard him clearly but she needed him to say it directly; to ask her flat out how she was feeling.

"Oh nothing, eat your food" he decided it was better to not open that can of worms, not yet. This was not the time, place, or circumstance for a serious conversation that would only lead to more hurt.

" _I guess he's not ready"_ she thought to herself _"or he's afraid of the truth"_ she took another bite.

He watched her eat a few bites before he joined her. Sharing a meal was something that was a rarity in the past but something he hoped they would experience again in the future. He was sure he owed her several dinners. The fact he was completely content sharing a meal with her didn't escape him. They were sitting on a cold stone floor, leaning against a hard cinderblock wall, in a room with no windows; the world's most wanted criminal being held in the next room, but he couldn't be happier.

As they sat quietly enjoying their meal, they glanced at each other realizing how right this felt. That feeling was not lost on either one of them.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

_**Thank you for the wonderful response**_! _ **All reviews and comments are greatly appreciated.**_

Steve carefully opened his eyes and was thankful it was not a dream. He wasn't sure when they fell asleep or how they ended up huddled together. Perhaps they subconsciously fell into old habits. Catherine's head was leaning on his shoulder and her legs were draped across his. His arms were wrapped around her waist, holding her close. He took in the scent of her hair before he carefully repositioned her as to not wake her up. Standing to stretch, he looked inside the holding cell to check on their prisoner. He was sound asleep.

"You must be Commander McGarrett" a tall young man announced as he approached with another older gentleman and Danny in tow. Their dress shirts were unbuttoned, jackets draped across their arms, and their ties dangled around their neck.

Steve reached out his hand to greet him "Nice to meet you"

"Travis Peterman and this is Phillip Martin" the older agent reached out his hand to greet McGarrett.

"I see she finally got some shut eye" Phil gestured towards where Catherine was sound asleep.

"Yeah" Steve nodded in agreement as he took in her sleeping form. "I hear you guys had a chance to enjoy Oahu if only for a few hours"

Travis eagerly responded "we went to that famous hotel with the rainbow"

Phil interrupted "The Hilton"

"Right, we had dinner and a few sugary drinks; there were fireworks and hula dancers. It was a nice break. Beats the last place we were. What a hell hole that was"

"Yes, but that's classified" Phil reminded Travis.

"Oh yeah, sorry, I thought he was cleared" Travis sheepishly apologized

"That's okay guys, Steve...Commander McGarrett, has been briefed" Catherine approached

Steve leaned in closer "Did you get a good nap?"

She leaned closer, making complete eye contact and smiled "Yes, thanks"

Travis and Phil looked at each other with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

Steve, Danny and the agents exchanged pleasantries and some lighthearted conversation. They recapped the events of the day and expressed their hope of being stranded on Oahu a little longer.

"This island is gorgeous, you guys are lucky to live here" Phil commented.

"It is beautiful" Catherine agreed with a slight tone of regret in her voice

The conversation continued when they were unfortunately interrupted by the buzzing of cell phones. Catherine, Travis and Phil reached for their phones and exchanged a look.

Catherine placed her phone back into her pocket and announced "It's time"

I'll get the gear we left upstairs" Travis headed towards the elevator when Kono entered carrying their vests "I'm way ahead of you"

"Thanks Kono" Phil took the vests from her and distributed them.

"We can back you up" Steve suggested

"Steve, no, you can't. This isn't your case" she nodded

"I'm already involved, besides, you need back up, and it's the middle of the night. By now, word must have gotten out about Voknel. The mechanical issues may have been a ploy to delay you; to try to help him escape, maybe even an assassination attempt so he won't talk. You know that's a possibility. You no longer have the advantage" Steve insisted

Catherine, Travis and Phil nodded in agreement. "Ok, but just as an escort" She ordered

"Yes, Ma'am" Steve responded

She smiled and placing her hands on her hip she declared "we need a plan".

After a brief meeting to discuss a safe plan, the agents and Five-0 tac'd up and arranged for a motorcade of SUVs to transport Voknel to the base. Steve, Catherine and Travis secured Voknel and escorted him to the vehicles. Phil, Danny and Grover were driving the SUVs. Kono and Jerry monitored the motorcade. Everything was on schedule and running smoothly.

The roads were clear and the plane was ready to go. The motorcade was given access to the base and immediately headed towards the runway.

"Kono, are we clear?" Danny pressed his ear piece to connect with her

"Still running recognition, may need a few more seconds" she responded

The motorcade slowly approached the rendezvous point and tried to delay the best they could without raising suspicion.

Jerry announced "Ok guys, listen; I got a hit on two men. One is approaching you now; the other is at the bottom of the stairs. Both on the watchlist" he tapped on the smart table zooming in on the satellite connection

"Got it!" Grover placed his hand on his weapon

"Ok, guys, stay cool. We don't want to spook them" Phil suggested as he, Danny and Grover exited the vehicles.

An officer approached Danny "I have orders to escort the prisoner on board" He declared.

Danny stepped aside and opened the door allowing access for the officer. The officer pulled his gun and shot his round into the prisoner seated in the back. Danny fired on him immediately. Chaos erupted.

Before they knew it, the suspect's partner fired on the motorcade as a barrage of bullets flooded the airfield. Grover hit the suspect with his first shot.

Several guards ran toward each suspect and secured their weapons as they checked for a pulse. They were both dead.

Once the gunfire subsided, Medics ran in to treat the prisoner in the car. Phil stretched his arm out and stopped them. "Don't bother, it's just a decoy, the real prisoner is already on his way to his new residence" The army medic stood in disbelief as he looked inside and to his surprise it was just a mannequin.

Phil holstered his gun and turned to Grover and Danny "They were right, they predicted this may happen and it did"

Danny agreed "If there is one thing I could say about Steve and Catherine it's they have the same brain. Those two think alike and always trust their gut. I hate to admit their gut feelings are almost always right"

Grover placed his hand on Phil's shoulder and nodded in agreement

"Drinks on me?" offered Phil

"Absolutely" they responded in unison and they walked toward one of the SUVs. Danny turned to the still stunned medic and commented "I'll leave this mess for you to clean up courtesy of The CIA" he patted Phil on the shoulder and laughed as he climbed into the SUV.

"So..." asked Phil "what's the story between McGarrett and Rollins?"

Danny and Grover exchanged a glance "It's going to take more than one drink to tell that story" Grover chuckled.

"Hey I got time. My flight for DC doesn't leave until tomorrow. Come to think of it, I never did get a chance to try one of the blue drinks" Phil slouched into the seat as the SUV made its way off the base.

 _ **Meanwhile….**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**47000 feet over the Pacific Ocean**_

Steve exited the cockpit of the gulfstream G650 taking a moment to pause at the galley to retrieve four bottles of water. He made his way down the aisle and smiled as he caught Catherine's eye. She returned the smile as she continued her conversation on the phone. Steve handed her a bottle and mouthed the word "hydrate" as he continued passed her. Making his way to the rear of the cabin he removed the cap and placed the bottle on the tray in front of the handcuffed Voknel. "Drink" Steve ordered but was greeted with a mere glare. He proceeded back towards the front where he took his seat next to Travis.

"What's so entertaining?" he asked. He couldn't help but notice the smile on the man's face as he looked at his phone. Placing the water bottle in the cup holder, he opened his and took a sip.

Travis turned the phone around to face Steve. It was a video of his son Dillon stumbling towards the camera and saying a mumbled version of "dada" Steve smiled

"He's cute, how old?" Steve asked

"Nine months" James smiled "you got any kids?" he asked

Steve's expression grew serious and he immediately looked toward Catherine. She was still on the phone and her expression was serious. As if she could feel his eyes watching her, she turned her head towards him and smiled. "No, no I don't" Steve replied.

The interaction did not go unnoticed. Travis nodded toward Catherine "she still loves you, you know" he commented as he placed his phone on the sill of the window.

Startled by his comment, Steve paused a moment to let the comment sink in. He shrugged his shoulders "we have history, that's all" his expression was soft

"So what your saying is you are not still in love with her? Cause it sure as hell looks like you are from where I'm sitting" Travis replied

"We just met, you don't know me" he squinted

Travis shrugged "ok man, but I tell you the sparks fly when you make eye contact. Not just sparks but like birds singing and hearts thumping, you guys are like a fucking cartoon" he laughed

Steve couldn't help but release a chuckle. "It's that obvious, huh?"

"Yep"

"None of that matters anyway. She made her choice and it wasn't me" his eyes glanced back towards Catherine

"Really? That's how you see it? You really should talk to her. You don't know the whole story" Travis insisted

Steve looked at him with a puzzled expression

Travis felt the need to explain. "Catherine and Stacey, that's my wife, are close, they talk, they think I don't hear or pay attention, it's my job to hear things I'm not supposed to hear, that's what we spies do. Get the whole story, you will see things differently" he nodded towards Catherine and gestured "go ahead, I'm going to try to get some shut eye. Go" he demanded in a whisper and a nudge

Steve grabbed his water bottle and walked to where Catherine was sitting. She smiled as she ended the call and watched as he took the seat facing her.

"Hey" he said''

"Hey" she responded

"I just got off the phone with Langley. They are pleased with how things worked out. The director was disappointed we didn't get one of the shooters alive, but he's happy the team is ok. They were hoping an interrogation would lead to Voknel's right hand _man, Nietsikova but I guess they are pleased Voknel is still alive. Your plan worked. You were right, it was a set up_ _"_ She released a sigh "I can't believe this is almost over"

"You've said that before. Care to fill me in on what's going on" Steve leaned in closer

"This is my last field op. I plan on taking a desk job after this" she leaned back and crossed her legs

"Really?" he leaned back

"Yep, I deliver Voknel and I get a pick of where I want to be placed"

"A desk job, huh? Is that what you really want, you always preferred field work?" Steve questioned her decision

"It's what I need. It's time to settle down and think about my future. I'm not getting any younger and you know that clock is ticking" she rolled her eyes

"It is huh? I didn't think you wanted any of that stuff" he was confused

"Maybe my priorities have changed" she maintained eye contact

He nodded in agreement. _Was she trying to hint at reconciliation? What did she mean by that?_ His thoughts were racing. A moment of silence passed between them.

"I know about what you were going to do before I left" she couldn't keep her knowledge of his secret any longer. They had a few more hours to kill so this was as good a time as any.

"What!" he exclaimed

"Kono told me. We've been keeping in touch" her eyes showed complete remorse "I'm sorry"

"Wow, ok, so..." He hesitated. He took a moment to compose himself. He hoped she would have never found out about his plan. He hoped she would never know how foolish he felt.

His curiosity was now peaked and he needed to know if he was off base with their relationship. Did he read her wrong all those years? He swallowed the lump in his throat and asked "if I asked, what would you have said?"

Just as she was about to answer...

Travis stood from his seat and shouted into the phone he was holding "If you lay a hand on them, I swear I will tear you apart limb from limb!"

Steve and Catherine immediately darted to be closer to him and signaled for him to put the call on speaker.

"You will change your flight pattern, you will land at the coordinates I am texting you. Once you land you will release Voknel and then, only then will your family be safe. Do you understand? DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" The voice on the other end shouted

Steve and Catherine exchanged a look as they listened to the exchange

"Yes, I understand. Please don't hurt them. I will give you Voknel" Travis trembled with anger and fear

The line went dead and a text was immediately received with a set of coordinates.

"We can't release him" Catherine declared in a panic

"What? We are letting him go! They are going to kill Stacey and Dillon if we don't!" Travis was shouting in a panic.

"There has to be another way. I won't let him go" Catherine stood in front of Voknel as a barrier

Travis drew his gun and shouted "get out of the way, Catherine! I will shoot you if I have to"

"Everyone calm down!" Steve interjected standing between Catherine and Travis "put the gun down; we will come up with a plan. No one is getting killed. Not Stacey, not Dillon, not any of us."

Travis took a deep breath and lowered his gun "I'm sorry, Oh my God, I'm sorry" he was shaking with fear

"No no, I don't know what I was thinking. Of course Stacey and Dillon are our priority. Oh my God, Travis I am so sorry" Catherine approached and gave him a hug "we will figure this out, ok? I've got your back, I'm so sorry"

Voknel leered at them with his cloudy eyes; his straggly beard and brown crooked teeth enhancing the evil aura he projected. He smiled.

Steve looked at Voknel with disgust and with a sigh declared "we have a few hours before we get to the landing site, plenty of time for us to brainstorm. Cath, give the pilot our new coordinates, I'll call Jerry to get us a visual and Travis, call Phillip and get a security team over to your house" he looked at them as they paused for a moment "we got this, we will figure this out!"


	6. Chapter 6

"Prepare for landing" the pilot's voice announced over the intercom

"Ok, here we go, you ready?" Steve continued to put on his tactical gear

Travis hesitated "how do we know they are going to release my family? What if he kills them and we released that asshole for nothing?"

Catherine stepped closer and placed her hand on his shoulder "You can't think that way"

Steve moved closer to Travis and spoke softly "a few years ago, a South American drug lord took someone very important to me..." he glanced in Catherine's direction "…and threatened to kill her if I didn't release his crew. I did what he asked and she was released safely. These types of people don't care about your family; they just want their guy back. I believe they will release your family safely"

"You don't know that" Travis stressed

Steve interjected "you are right, we don't, but I believe everything is going to work out. I am going to do everything in my power to make sure they don't get away"

"Let me go with you, Steve" Catherine insisted

"No, we stick to the plan; you need to be there to deliver Voknel" he insisted "as far as they are concerned you and Travis are the only ones on this flight. We have the advantage"

"You can't do this alone" Catherine was clearly worried. She reached and touched his chest with her hands.

"I'll be ok, Cath. I'm just keeping an eye on them while I wait for you to bring back up. I will be careful, I promise" he leaned in a hugged her.

She nodded in agreement. "Ok"

 _ **Remote airstrip north of Verana, Mexico**_

The plane landed and was greeted by six heavily armed men carrying automatic weapons. The dirt airstrip was surrounded by heavy foliage and a thick tree line. There was nothing in the vicinity from what they can see on the approach.

Travis opened the door to the plane releasing the stairs. Catherine escorted the chained Voknel to the bottom of the stairs and cautiously made her way closer to the figure receiving the prisoner. "You must be Nietsikova"

Travis stood at the top of the stairs with his weapon aimed directly at Nietsikova

"Da, we finally meet" the accent was heavy and barely understandable, but to Catherine's surprise it was that of a woman. All intelligence reports had Nietsikova labeled as a man.

"You are not going to get away with this" Catherine insisted

"I already have" responded Nietsikova as she grabbed the arm of Voknel and turned to proceed towards the caravan of aged military vehicles. "Once airborne, I will release the family"

Catherine glared at Nietsikova "I'm going to kill you. You are not getting away with this"

Nietsikova and Voknel laughed at her comment "I already have"

 _ **Meanwhile: During the exchange Steve had successfully crawled out of the landing gear and had made it to a heavy wooded area undetected.**_

Catherine secured the door and was startled as the engines released a loud roar.

The pilot announced to prepare for takeoff

"Travis, the minute you know Stacey and Dillon are safe, contact me on the sat phone, I'm going with Steve" she bolted towards the hatch that led to the opening of the landing gear.

"Catherine, you can't do that! Steve made me promise I wouldn't let you!" Travis shouted over the sound of the revving engine

"I'm going. You can't stop me. Once you are airborne, send backup and the second you know Stacey and Dillon are safe, call me." Catherine began to lower herself

"Catherine, Be careful!" Travis helped her as she lowered herself on to the dirt airstrip just in time to roll out of the way of the plane beginning to move.

Steve watched the plane take off and couldn't help but notice the figure running into the jungle. "Damnit!" He exclaimed under his breath "she is so damned stubborn"

He ran over to her and stopped just a few feet away with his hands on his hips. He watched as she scraped the dirt off of her hands and clothes.

"I told you to stay with Travis" he caught her attention

"You can't do this alone. This is my case, it's my responsibility" she insisted

He nodded and let out a sigh. It was no use arguing with her. "Ok, let's go catch up to them. I believe the road will wind through here" he pointed North "They must have a camp around here somewhere; it's too remote to just be passing through. The airstrip has a purpose." he started walking, leaving her behind to catch up

"Steve, wait, there is something you need to know about Nietsikova" she ran to catch up to him, grabbing his shoulder to stop him "he is a woman"

He stopped dead in his tracks "a woman? I've seen some of the surveillance footage, it's clearly a man"

"Nope. I just got a close-up look. Nietsikova is a woman. No doubt the features and body of a man, but definitely a woman" she clarified

"Wow, I did not see that coming" Steve rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand "that has to be the ugliest woman I've ever seen"

Catherine agreed and released a small giggle.

With a smile on his lips, Steve nodded in the direction of their path "come on, we need to make sure we don't lose them"

They trekked through the jungle-like terrain until they heard the sound of car engines and voices coming from just up ahead. Peering through the foliage they spotted a campsite, heavily guarded and fortified. It was exactly what Steve had expected.

"I'm sure that's them, let's stop here and wait for back up. We have a good vantage point and cover. We wait here" he placed his pack on the ground and after determining the ground was dry, he sat. He unzipped his bag and retrieved two energy bars. He reached up to hand Catherine one

"We are just going to sit here and camp out? There must be a way we can get in there and get those two scumbags back" she paced refusing his offer.

Steve ignored her impatience "Have you heard from Travis? Are Stacey and Dillon safe?"

"I just got a message. They are in protective custody at Langley. You were right; they weren't interested in hurting them. They didn't even know they were in danger" Catherine sighed and sat next to Steve. She held out her hand in hope the offer for the energy bar still stood.

He handed it to her and smiled. They sat in silence and ate the bars occasionally taking a sip of out of the water Steve had with him.

"So…" he began "…when did you get recruited?" he kept his focus on the camp

She was startled by his question "Afghanistan" she answered with a sad expression. She knew her answer was going to hurt him

"You knew you weren't going to stay when you came for Kono's wedding but you led me on anyway" she could tell he was disappointed and angry. She knew he was hoping her answer would be different

"Yes, I'm sorry, but it's more complicated than that" she insisted

"We have time" Steve replied

"I had tracked Najib to an old soviet weapons facility just outside of the Badakhshan Province. It was rumored that Voknel and Nietsikova were using the boys to refurbish old soviet weapons to sell to the rebel forces. It was heavily guarded, there was no way I could help those boys on my own. I had heard rumors of an American in a neighboring town. I hoped he was military or CIA and I was right; he was both. I went to him for help in exchange for my service. It was all I had to offer" she sniffled trying to hold back the tears.

"Why didn't you come to me? I could have helped" he turned to face her

She continued "you sacrificed enough. We got the kids out safely and confiscated the weapons but Voknel and Nietsikova escaped."

"When you came home, why didn't you just tell me the truth?" she could tell Steve's feelings were hurt

"I tried, but you had so much on your plate at the time and by the time you made the time to talk, it was too late. We got a lead on them and I had to leave. I thought it would be easier to just end it rather than string you along any further" she stared at him in an attempt to try to read his thoughts. It was no use, his expression was blank. "I'm sorry; I never meant to hurt you"

"I wish you would have insisted we talk and told me what was going on. I would have understood" he sighed as he changed the subject "Get some rest, I'll take first watch" he stood and moved closer to the clearing; while still avoiding being seen or heard. He needed the time to absorb her story. He needed distance to reign in his emotions. He realized the signs were there, he chose not to see them. _Was my ego so bruised that I didn't see the signs? I should have known something was up when I heard her speaking Pashto. I should have figured it out. I'm trained to spot these things, yet I didn't. Why didn't I make the time to talk?_ The thoughts swirled in his mind as he struggled to make sense of everything that happened.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Thank you everyone for the reviews and comments. I am overwhelmed by the positive response. Are you ready for some action?**_

 _ **...**_

Catherine tried to sleep but given the conditions and the fact Steve was avoiding her, made it difficult. She snuck up to where Steve had perched himself against a tree and crouched down next to him.

"I didn't want to hurt you, Steve" she repeated

"Yeh, you said that" his response was curt and she had to admit a bit unexpected

"I get it, you hate me. I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say" she was sad and annoyed.

"I don't hate you, Cath. Don't you see? That's the problem. I wish I could hate you. That would make everything so much easier. I tried to move on but it didn't work. Everything reminds me of you" he paused and turned to face her "I'm still in love with you."

She erupted in tears "I'm still in love with you too. I missed you so much, Steve. I think of you all the time. I hate that I hurt you. I know this is all on me, but if I could take it all back and turn back time; I would have never gone to Afghanistan in the first place. I am so sorry" she pleaded hoping he could forgive her.

"I understand why you did what you did. You would have never forgiven yourself if something happened to Najib and those kids. I wish you trusted me enough to be honest with me. I would have done anything to help you. Anything" he insisted

"I know that. That's exactly why I didn't tell you what was going on. I almost got you killed once because of this, I couldn't take a chance and risk your life again" she was crying as she spoke.

"I would have been willing to take that chance" he leaned in closer gently wiping the tears from her face

"I wasn't willing to let you take the chance. You deserve better". She pulled back just enough to prevent him from touching her

Just as Steve tried to form the words to respond, the clatter of helicopter propellers filled the air. Gun fire erupted as teams of soldiers repelled inside the camp. Steve and Catherine immediately sprung into action and using the distraction as cover, climbed the fence and made their way inside the compound. Steve signaled Cath to move towards the barracks. He was sure they would be hiding in there. Avoiding the spray of bullets and flash grenades, Steve entered through the front of the cabin as Catherine made her way towards the back. He was right, Voknel stood there unarmed.

"Hands in the air where I can see them" Steve shouted aiming his weapon

Voknel slowly turned to face him with his arms raised "this is not over", he proclaimed with confidence

From behind a cordoned off area, Nietsikova appeared with her arms locked around Catherine's neck and a knife to her throat. "Put the gun down Commander or I will slit her throat"

Catherine shouted "take the shot!"

Steve hesitated he wasn't sure he had a clean shot. "No, I won't risk it"

"DO IT!" Shouted Catherine "DO IT!"

By now another one of Voknel's crew had appeared and stood behind Steve

Steve hesitated but wasn't willing to take the risk. He began to lower his gun when the sound of laughter gave him reason to pause.

"Cowards" Voknel shouted with a snicker in his voice

Suddenly Steve raised his gun and fired hitting Voknel between the eyes and dropping him instantly to the ground. He immediately back kicked the man behind him causing him to drop his weapon. Catherine took advantage of the distraction and with an elbow to the gut and a twist of the wrist; she tumbled Nietsikova to the ground. Steve and the man engaged in a bout of hand to a hand combat while Catherine struggled to gain control and attempted to wrestle the knife out of Nietsikova's hand. Before she could succeed, Nietsikova managed to slice a gash on Catherine's neck. The blood poured as Catherine gained the upper hand and flipped Nietsikova on her back. Steve grabbed hold of the man's weapon and turned it on him, leaving him for dead. Dropping the weapon, he ran towards Catherine where he witnessed her slit Nietsikova's throat with one clear slice. Catherine leaned to whisper in her ear "Die bitch, die" as she held her down long enough for the blood to drain to her death.

The adrenaline rush quickly subsided and Catherine dropped to the ground next to Nietsikova. Steve bolted to her side and gasped at the blood that gathered. Most of it belonged to Nietsikova but the stream of blood from Catherine's cut was flowing quickly. He ripped off his shirt and bundling it into a ball. He covered her wound and applied pressure in an effort to stop the bleeding. She was awake but was losing a great deal of blood and was beginning to lose consciousness.

The room suddenly filled with American soldiers ready to assist. He shouted "MEDIC!" repeatedly until two soldiers ran to him. One carrying a duffle bag marked with a red cross and the other gently guiding Steve off to the side.

"We need room to treat her Commander" one of the soldiers commented

Steve stood to the side as he watched the men treat her wound and apply bandages.

"She's ready for transport" the medic announced as they placed her on a portable gurney

Steve ran to her side grabbing hold of her hand and squeezing it tightly. "You are going to be ok Cath, you hear me? I'm right here; I'm going to be right here by your side"

She tugged his hand and pulled him closer "Yes" she whispered "I would have said yes" were her final words before her eyes drifted closed and she lost consciousness.


	8. Chapter 8

**San Antonio Military Medical Center: San Antonio, Texas**

Steve paced the hallways of The Brooke Army Medical hospital. He was functioning on three cups of coffee and no sleep.

"Commander, it's going to be a few more hours, why don't you go get some rest or a bite to eat and we will contact you as soon as Lt Rollins is out of surgery" The kind nurse suggested.

"Thank you ma'am but I will wait here" he looked at the plastic chairs lining the waiting room and opted to have a seat.

He was not sure how much time had passed but he was awakened by the whispering sounds of conversation. Carefully opening his eyes, he noticed the once empty waiting room was crowded. He sat up and blinked his eyes for clarity. Sitting across from him were his team accompanied by Phil and Travis.

"Good morning sleepy head" greeted Danny as he handed him a cup of coffee and a muffin from the hospital food cart.

Steve sat up straighter and looked at his watch. Noticing the time, he jumped to his feet and approached the nurse at the station. "LT. Rollins? Any word?" he asked

The nurse checked the computer screen in front of her "She is being transferred from recovery to a room, if you give me a few minutes I will have her room number for you"

"Thank you" Steve replied as he turned to observe the people in the lobby. He smiled

Travis approached "Any news?"

"They are moving her into a room as we speak, I guess she is going to be ok" he smiled in relief

Travis smiled and turned to the others "we will get to see her soon"

"Good, because I'm going to kill her" a voice exclaimed as the glass doors opened

"Stacey!" Travis shouted "what are you doing here?" he questioned as he approached and hugged her.

"She insisted sir" replied the burly man that accompanied her

Travis nodded as he reached for the baby she was carrying "Steve, this is Dillon. Dillon this is the man that helped aunt Catherine save your life" the baby grabbed towards Steve.

Steve smiled and tapped Dillon on the tip of his nose.

"Commander, you can see Lt Rollins now" the nurse reminded them "One visitor at a time, please".

Steve took a deep breath and followed the nurse down the corridor.

He peered into the room before entering. She appeared to be asleep. He proceeded quietly and couldn't help but notice the large bandage covering most of her neck. An IV line ran to her arm. She turned to face him

"I'm awake" she whispered in a raspy voice "sounds sexy, huh?" she smiled

He laughed and moved closer. He leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek.

She carefully shifted her legs to make room for him to sit on the edge of the bed. She reached for his hand and squeezed gently.

"Do you remember anything that happened?" he asked

"They are both dead? Right? I didn't dream that, did I?" she questioned the clarity of her memory

"They are" he nodded

"Good, I hope they both rot in hell" she grew agitated

He tightened his hold on her hand "It's all over Cath. They can't hurt anyone anymore"

She adjusted her body to sit up a little more. She looked into his eyes.

"So… do you remember anything else about last night?" he asked

"I'm not sure what you mean. I remember the sound of chopper blades but the rest is fuzzy" she furrowed her brows trying to remember.

He hesitated and began to fidget. "You said if I would have asked, you would have said yes. Did you mean that?"

"Oh that? Yes, I would have said yes" she nodded

"And now, if I ask?" he questioned

She nodded "I don't know. So much has happened since then" she began to cough

Steve reached over to the bedside table and poured a glass of water, inserting the provided straw for her to drink

She took a sip. "Thanks" she continued "I'm not sure you are asking because of what we just went through or because you still feel the same about me. I need you to trust me and I'm not sure you will feel you can"

"Are you a mind reader now?" he was getting agitated by her stubbornness "I love you, I trust you"

"Even though I lied to you? Everyone knows how you feel about that and GOD knows not only did I lie to you, I hurt you"

"Hey" he shifted closer to her and brushed away the tears that fell from her eyes "Maybe I needed a little reality check. Listen Cath, I wasn't perfect. I took it for granted you would always be around. By the time I got my act together, it was too late. But we have a second chance. I want another chance" he looked longingly into her eyes

"Me too. I want another chance with you" she leaned forward inviting him to kiss her.

"So does that mean you will marry me?" he leaned closer, his lips brushing against hers.

"yes" she kissed him

Just then there was a faint knock at the door as it opened slightly "Hey, sorry to interrupt, but when is it my turn?" the petite woman peered in

"Come in Stacey, I was just going to get a coffee, would you like one?" Steve asked graciously

"That sounds great" she replied as she watched him exit the room, her eyes following him as he walked down the hallway

"Ok, girlie, you said he was hot, but you underplayed the assets and by assets I mean that ass" she raised a brow.

Catherine laughed out loud but immediately grabbed her neck in pain.

"Sorry" Stacey cringed

Catherine swallowed carefully and smiled

"I'm losing you to that hot cop in Hawaii aren't I?" Stacey began to tear up "But hey, I now have an excuse to visit Hawaii"

Catherine reached for her hand "You are welcome to visit anytime you want. I can teach Dillon to surf" she smiled

Pausing to gather her thoughts she needed to clear her conscience. "There is something you should know" Taking a moment, she knew she had to confess what had happened on the plane. She couldn't live with the guilt of not telling her. "Stacey, when they demanded Voknel be released in exchange for you and Dillon…I hesitated. I almost didn't let Travis do it. I was so caught up in this crap; I almost forgot what was truly important. I'm sorry. I love you; I don't know what I was thinking. This is why I need to get out of this line of work. I'm losing sight of what's important"

Stacey repositioned herself next to Catherine and hugged her tightly. "I know you would never do anything to hurt my family. When Travis is off on one of your missions, I know he's going to be safe because I know you have his back. I know you have my back. You, Travis, Phil; we are family Catherine. I know how important this was for you. How personal it was, but it's over and we are all safe. That's mainly because of you. You are my hero, Catherine. You always will be." They hugged each other tighter.

Steve entered with Travis holding several cups of coffee "Are we interrupting" Travis asked with a smirk

"Yes, go away" Stacey replied in jest

"No chance" a voice from behind interrupted: when is it our turn?" Danny remarked

"Yeh, I want a hug too" announced Kono

Catherine smiled at the small crowd that gathered in her room "If the nurses catch you, they aren't going to be happy"

"Tough, they will have to drag us out of here one at a time" Phil joked

"I'd like to see them try" remarked Grover

They all laughed and smiled. Catherine felt the love that filled the room and couldn't help but be reminded how lucky she was to have friends like this. Glancing toward Steve as he joked with Travis, she smiled. He noticed her looking and smiled back with a wink. Mouthing the words "I love you" she returned the wink. At that moment she knew her life was about to take a turn for the best. Her Ohana had grown and she would soon be home.

…and they lived happily ever after.

 **THE END**

 ** _Thank you to everyone who took the time to read,share, comment and review. I appreciate each and every one of you._**

 ** _A very special thank you to Kim and Deb for your input. I may have never started this without your encouragement._**


End file.
